Babies: Progress

The results are coming in.

Deborah had her baby on Wednesday, a girl. :)

Camille is in labor, possibly has already her baby.

Elizabeth will be next, any day.

And now I have another friend's baby to look forward to!

At church on Sunday I got to hold a two-month old baby boy. Miss M loved him, now all of her dolls (even the ones that are made of straight pretzels) are named "Baby Noah."

Exams Monday

L and J are dictating their answers and I'm typing them, T is typing his own.

L - Year 3.5

Tell about the fall of Jericho: One time God told Joshua to take the agreement of the Lord to the city of Jericho and to march around the city 1 time a day for 7 days. And then on the 8th day, march around the city 7 times and then blow your trumpets and shout. So they marched around the city 7 times a day and then they blew their trumpets and they shouted and the walls just collapsed. They went in and they took everything and sacrificed it all to the Lord. But the house of the lady who helped the two spies, her house was still left standing. But one guy took some stuff that was supposed to be sacrificed to the Lord and he kept it for himself and buried it. But Joshua found out and he put they guy to death and all his household and all his belongings.

Writing
I'd like to be a lighthouse
All scrubbed and painted white.
(We tried this as a prepared dictation first, and he got all the words correct except painted; then we tried it as copywork, which is what I had originally intended to do.)

Tell about how Jasper found Phronsie. One time Phronsie was lost and Ben went out to look for her down in badgertown and he met a boy on the way and a big black dog, and next to the boy and sleeping was Phronsie and Ben jumped down and asked how he found her. And he said that he saw an organ man and he had a monkey and a little girl was following him crying and prince ran at the guy and chased him off and then he just took the little girl and the little girl kept saying that she wanted Polly. And then she cried herself to sleep.

If you have $52 and you buy lunch for $6 and a Playmobil castle for $38, how much money do you have left? $8

J - Year 6

What were the blessings for obeying and curses for not obeying that Moses spoke to the Israelites? (Deut) - if they obeyed then they would prosper, they world destroy all their enemies, they'd live good lives and they'd be able to just do what they needed to do without too much trouble. But if they disobeyed they would be scattered to the ends of the earth, they would be imprisoned and taken captive, their lands would be ruined their cattle and sheep would be taken bu other nations and everything would go *bad.*

Tell about Mark Antony's death, and the events that surrounded it. After Julius Caesar's death Mark Antony took control and he was keeping the will of Julius Caesar and he was doing whatever he wanted because nobody else had the will, so he was able to do whatever he liked. So when Octavian came, he was kind of surprised when he was trying to claim the throne, but they made an alliance against Brutus. They went with an army to do battle against him because, evidently, he had raised an army himself. They defeated Brutus and then they split the Roman Empire, but Octavian got wind that Antony was trying to take conrtrol of his half of the Roman Empire. And while all this was going on, Antony had fallen in love with Cleopatra. And then of course he went to Egypt with her. While he was gone, Octavian came down with an army and started taking some of the cities away from Antony, so Antony raised his own army and went to fight Octavian but Octavian defeated him in the first battle and then the second which was near to Egypt, Antony, while looking at the enemy forces, saw his entire fleet and cavalry join the enemy army. And so he went down to the palace 'cause he thought Cleopatra had arranged it so he'd be defeated. Cleopatra was scared because she thought he'd kill her so she fled to her unfinished tomb and she sent word to Antony that she would kill herself if he didn't calm down. But the messenger was a little confused and said that she had already killed herself, and so Mark Antony stabbed himself and died, leaving the Roman Empire for Octavian.

How do animals die? OR tell as much as you about an animal that lives in the sea. We always picture animals dying a cruel death at the hand of some other animal or at the hand of man but really ost of them die a peaceful death by going deep into the heart of the woods and going to sleep thinking that they're just overly tired and just not waking up.

If you buy a table for $37 and 8 chairs at $11.95 each, how much will that cost? $132.60

T - Year 10

Briefly sketch the change in attitudes towards slavery that led to the Civil War.

The moral difficulty with slavery was recognized at the framing of the Constitution. Abolitionist feelings were there all along, and Congress received anti-slavery petitions in its earliest days. But although many people saw slavery as an evil, the practical problems of economics and diplomacy (if it may be so called) with the South for a long time outweighed their moral feelings. Also, few people wanted freed black slaves mingling with the white population. There were a couple of plans for deporting freed slaves back to Africa, or to a newly-made black colony or nation. But such plans depended on slave owners giving up their slaves freely—which few did. There were also ideas of the government buying slaves from their owners and freeing them—which was accomplished in one of the Northern states with a small slave population and willing owners, but this idea was not practical in the South. All such plans depended on gradual abolition. There was, however, another group which called for immediate abolition. This was at first a very small portion even of abolitionists. But this portion—and the whole abolitionist movement—grew. They published pamphlets (viewed as “incendiary” in the South) and flooded Congress with thousands of petitions about slavery.

Politically, slavery was mostly discussed in connection with the new western states. Should slavery be allowed in them? Different parties took different sides: some said yes, some said no, some said to let the people of the new states decide when they were annexed. Lincoln and Douglas debated on this subject. And it was when Lincoln—an openly anti-slavery candidate—became President that the Southern states, starting with South Carolina, left the Union.

Briefly trace or sketch Kinglake's journey (so far) on a map. (No text to post here)

Compare Dr. Jekyll with Dr. Frankenstein OR compare Mr. Hyde with Frnkenstein's monster.

Both men grew up loved and respected. Both had a scientific curiosity which led them to make great discoveries. Both had weaknesses which are mentioned in their stories: the young Frankenstein was ambitious, and the respectable Jekyll had a taste for less respectable pleasures. They both tried to play God and failed. (Like many people, they did not understand that what one can do is not always what one should do. The ability to create life does not make it right, just as the ability to kill does not make murder right. Other things must decide the moral question.)

The two men had very different views of the world: when Frankenstein created his monster, he built him a physical body and gave no thought to the soul; but when Jekyll did his experiment, it was with the understanding that the physical body is only a mutable expression of the soul. Frankenstein made his monster in a fit of excitement, while Jekyll was careful and cool-headed. And when their monsters were finished, Frankenstein was overcome with horror, but Jekyll embraced his new creation—as he said, “this also was me.” Frankenstein tried to ignore what he had done, but Jekyll accepted it and continued to become Hyde fairly often; and when the two men came to their second trial, Jekyll gave in and turned Hyde, but Frankenstein destroyed the beginnings of his second monster.

Frankenstein was simply thoughtless, and learned from his mistake, but Jekyll deliberately sought to free his evil side and continued in his choice. And just look at the results: at the end of their stories, Frankenstein dies sad and miserable; but Henry Jekyll does not exist.

If a man made an 8% profit amounting to $800 from selling his house, what did he sell his house for? $10,000

Describe Walden Pond. Walden Pond is a large pond connected to several others in the area by means of some underground waterway. It is (or was) surrounded by the forest, which sometimes reaches right to the edge of the water. However, the water level fluctuates over many years, and when it is lower there is a large beach between it and the trees. The water itself is exceptionally clear, and in the shallower parts you can often see right to the bottom. The deepest parts may be a hundred feet below the surface.

The pond has good fishing. It has also other inhabitants: Thoreau told of one afternoon he spent in his boat chasing a loon, which was an excellent diver and stayed well away from him the whole time. The pond has its own oddities too: at one time, before someone dragged them out, there were several logs sticking up in the middle of the pond; and Thoreau also told of small piles of stones, of unknown origin, which could be seen at the bottom on clear days. Thoreau also said that for clearness of water and brightness of sand no other pond in the area could rival Walden. True? Certainly in the book.

Exam Week!

Yes, this is our exam week. I have a son in Year 10, a son in year 6, and a son who started in Year 4 but was having such trouble with it that I created a transition Year 3.5 for him. The rules: three sons, each will have 4 or 5 questions per day, and I'll be posting their responses here daily. Here's what they'll be doing this week:

Monday____________

L - Year 3.5
Tell about the fall of Jericho.
Writing - "I'd like to be a lighthouse/All scrubbed and painted white."
Tell about how Jasper found Phronsie.
If you have $52 and you buy lunch for $6 and a Playmobil castle for $38, how much money do you have left?

J - Year 6
What were the blessings for obeying and curses for not obeying that Moses spoke to the Israelites? Deut
Tell about Mark Antony's death, and the events that surrounded it.
How do animals die? OR tell as much as you about an animal that lives in the sea.
If you buy a table for $37 and 8 chairs at $11.95 each, how much will that cost?

T - Year 10
Briefly sketch the change in attitudes towards slavery that led to the Civil War
Briefly trace or sketch Kinglake's journey (so far) on a map.
Compare Dr. Jekyll with Dr. Frankenstein OR compare Mr. Hyde with Frnkenstein's monster.
If a man made an 8% profit amounting to $800 from selling his house, what did he sell his house for?
Describe Walden Pond.

Tuesday ____________

L - Year 3.5
What was the golden age of Greece like, OR tell about the gods the Greeks believed in.
Describe a compass. What does it tell us?
What do you know about light?
3X + 4 = 13

J - Year 6
Dictation (prepared, from School of the Woods) - "Now cut ahead of the dogs to the runway and watch for the fox. Here is the hunted creature."
Explain how and why Octavius became Augustus
What are some things that cloth is made of? OR describe what Norway looks like.
Describe your favorite episode in The Hobbit
What is two-thirds of 48?

T - Year 10
What were some of the blessings and curses that Moses described to the Israelites based on their obedience or disobedience? (Deuteronomy)
Give some account of one of the battles of the civil war.
Trace the ups and down of Demetrius's life.
Solve 4.59 + 8.125 - 7.68 - .981 - 1.406

Wednesday ____________

L - Year 3.5
Where did the religion of Islam come from?
Tell your favorite part of Bambi.
What is a diving bell?
Add 343 + 237 + 522
Father to choose a poem, and a memory verse.

J - Year 6
Describe the city of ancient Rome OR Athens OR Sparta
Briefly explain the theory of relativity OR give an account of Archimides's contribution to science.
How many square feet of wall are in a room 12x13 feet, 8 feet high? Minus a door 3x7 feet?
Describe "The Milkmaid" by Vermeer

T - Year 10
Explain how Abraham's children with Hagar and Sarah illustratehe two agreements between God and man. (Galatians)
Describe one of the generals of the Civil War.
Describe the scene where Dr. Frankenstein stops working on a second monster OR in Les Miserables the scene where Jean Valjean and Cosette enter the convent the second time by the door
Describe Vermeer's "The Milkmaid"

Thursday ____________

L - Year 3.5
What was one of the things Paul wrote about to the Corinthians?
Can you explain why the sun never seems to remain still in the same place?
Tell what you know about the planets.
Describe "The Milkmaid" by Vermeer

J - Year 6
What kind of body will we have? I Cor 15
Describe one of the Persian attacks ancient Greece OR the civil war in Rome
How did Demetrius come into power?
Tell about his death.

T - Year 10
Explain how Lincoln's character influenced his actions during his term as President.
Give an account of Cairo during the plague.
Explain a few flaws in the liberal movement. (Vision of the Anointed)
Grammar: pick out the eight parts of speech of the italicized words from this poetry selection by Robert Browning:
Oh, *to be* in *England*
Now that April's there,
And whoever *wakes* in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the *lowest* boughs and the brush-wood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the *chaffinch* sings on the orchard bough
In England -- now!

Friday ____________

L - Year 3.5
What do you know about William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings?
Men of Iron - How did Myles meet Lady Alice?
Draw the shape of the earth, and show where the hot countries are and where the cold ones are.
How many feet of ceiling trim will I need to buy for room that's 13x12 feet? If trim is 24 cents a foot, how much will that cost?

J - Year 6
Trace Alexander the Great's life.
What country is called The Land Below the Sea, and why? OR What country is called The Land in the Sky and why?
What is the first Law of Thermodynamics OR Explain how a refrigerator works.
Tell about your favorite character from Animal Farm and what qualities made him your favorite.

T - Year 10
Write about one of God's attributes (Pink's Attributes of God)
Describe Queen Victoria OR give some account of Europe's attitude towards slavery at the time of the Civil War.
Explain how racism is unbiblical OR talk about some forms of intemperance/immoderation.
Briefly summarize an essay you read this term.
Find the cost of papering the walls of a room 15 ft. by 13ft. and 9 ft high; paper 21 inches wide at $2.50 for 12 yards.

What's Your Love Language?

I saw this at Bioluminescence.
I scored highest in quality time, acts of service and words of affirmation. Honorary mention to receiving gifts. ;)

"Having a clear picture of your primary and secondary love languages will explain much of your past behavior. Think back over the past and ask yourself, "What have I most often requested from my spouse?" Chances are your answer will lie within the scope of your primary and secondary love languages. You have been requesting that which would meet your deepest need for emotional love. Your requests, however, might have come across as nagging or criticizing and thus driven your spouse away."

Take the test here.

Goodbye HSB

I'm closing down my homeschoolblogger blog. I've mostly been posting here all along anyway.

I'm not exactly leaving over the Pearl ruckus, not directly, anyway. I use different methods from theirs, but I support freedom of choice in parenting methods and I know families who have had success using methods different from mine.

I'm more concerned about increasing reports that bloggers posting dissenting views about the Pearls are finding their blogs removed. In a homeschool arena, I would find it justifiable to disallow discussion against homeschooling, but a one-sided limiting of private bloggers posts about parenting seems inappropriate. And my continued presence there might also insinuate that I support something I don't.

---------------

Update:

I received a response from HSB basically stating that their removal of blogs for posting anti-Pearl posts is a rumor and they'd be silly to "police people based on our likes/dislikes. . . If you look around the blogs, you'll see several people who openly criticize the Pearls. Look at our Featured Blogger on the front page. Look at SpunkyHomeschool. Both of these ladies come out against the Pearls' materials but we are friends with them - and have left their blogs in tact."

The email invited me to stay and post whatever I want. So, I'm going to stay. And, no, I'm not going to deliberately write an unsavory post about the Pearls as a test. ;)

This Month's Books - March 2006

(I know it's nearly two days late, but this way I can include Inkheart which I finished today.)

Psmith in the City by P.G. Wodehouse
My first Wodehouse novel. I enjoyed it a lot, and I remember most of the plot and separate incidents well; but the overall feel has escaped me. Perhaps this is because it was an audiobook and we listened to it straight through (not to mention that I was down sick at the time).


The Napoleon of Notting Hill by G.K. Chesterton
A strange book, though I did like it in the end. It has one of the best first chapters I've ever read. It is set in the future of Chesterton's time. In that future national distinctions and real governments are being done away with: national pride is almost unknown. Then one man proclaims himself King of England, and as a joke creats distinctions and liveries for the different counties. They each get their own overlord, their own medieval devices and liveries, and their own guards with ancient halberds. Most grudgingly submit to this; but one young man from Notting Hill, Adam Wayne, goes even further. He takes the joke quite seriously.

Several years later, when there are plans for a railway to go right through Notting Hill, Adam rouses the people of the neighborhood, and with the help of a toy-store owner creates plans for its defense. When the workers come for demolition they are resisted. Men from other counties are sent, and driven back. A larger army is arrayed and sent, but they are also defeated, and England is forced to recognize the sovereign county of Notting Hill.

Years later, Notting Hill begins trying to force its customs and emblems on the other counties. The other counties resent it and they go to war against Notting Hill. Notting Hill is defeated; but they have also won, for they have led the awakening, and men once again take pride in their nations and counties.

The book is about the local: the neighborhood, not just "neighborhoods" in the abstract, but about the one neighborhood that is yours. I enjoyed it. I didn't think I understood it very well, but I've found that it has already influenced (or clarified) how I think about some things.


The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton
An excellent book. Chesterton goes over the story of the world until the time of Christ, and then the story of Christ and the Church. But in doing it he attempts to show them to us for the first time again: to reveal the startling difference that really exists between men and animals, and between men and the one real Man. Highly recommended.


The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Strange at times, but fun. "Six pints of bitter," said Ford Prefect… "And quickly please, the world's about to end." …So the barman said, "Oh yes, sir? Nice weather for it."


The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit
One of my favorites. Thus a reread, and better than I remembered it--which is saying a lot, because I remember it as the best of Nesbit's books.


Half Magic by Edward Eager
Another reread, of the same sort as the above (four children find a magic charm and have strange adventures). It's good, though not as good as Nesbit's books. I caught Edward Eager making allusions to The Enchanted Castle several times.


Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
A good book with some interesting ideas. It is, in a way, a book about books; it's about a bookbinder, a bookworm, a book collector, an author, and characters that have fallen right out of their bookworld and into this.

Narnia News

There's been a slew of news from Prince Caspian today, including casting (Trumpkin and Reepicheep!) and location announcements. Don't miss the script excerpt, either. I'm interested to know what new character Johnny Depp will play. Maybe he'll do the voice for one of the leading mice? or a badger?

I'm not too pleased about the changes to the story, but after thinking them over I don't think they'll change the spirit of it too much. Really, I can see why the movie needs an extra battle scene to liven it up. And the crocodiles should fit in well with the other animals.


(Note: This was an April Fool's joke. Crocodiles indeed!)

Homeschooling Objections

Yes, I've heard it all before too. "Well, I couldn't homeschool my kids because they will have to learn to deal with the real world sometime."

Read Melissa Wiley's detailed and funny analysis of the common objections to homeschooling, here.

(Thanks to Mama Squirrel, who I stole this entire post from.)

Cherry Blossoms

(B&W post-processing done on the computer.)

Rambly Post About Miss M Growing Up

It occurred to me this week that Miss M has starting calling cats "kitty" instead of "meow-meow" and it makes me realize how much she's growing. My first impulse is to be sad at how quickly her babyhood is disappearing, but I also remember certain stages that I couldn't wait for her to grow out of- - like getting into everything. We've been trying positive/grace-based discipline more so with her - we've always done it somewhat with the boys, but we always reserved spankings as a last resort in our toolbox of parenting tactics. We've been trying not to use any spanking at all with Miss M.

Miss M is more spirited, more determined, louder, and more persistent than any of her brothers ever were, and I know her Daddy sometimes wonders if our failure to spank her has made her that way. But I don't think so, she was different from the day she was born. I remember her laying next to me just minutes after she was born and she didn't want to nurse! She just wanted me to pat her on the back. She was also the only one who, at four months old, even though she was afraid of the vacuum cleaner, made herself scoot forward and touch it. She's the first of our children to have tantrums (actually melt-downs; they tend to happen when she's tired).

When she was one, she was into everything. Any cabinet door left open, she'd be into. Anything left within reach, she'd grab - we had to learn to put our books and papers way up on the table, and as she grew her reach grew, too, so we had to put stuff farther and farther in, or up higher. As soon as I'd walk away from the computer she'd start pounding on the keyboard. We'd tell her she couldn't do that and remove her and she'd laugh and run away and look for an opportunity to do it again. Her daddy wondered if a good swat might teach her that we were serious. But I remember when L, who is nine now, was this age, I had just read To Train Up a Child by the Pearls. I tried it; I picked one problem area and decided to use their method of lightly swatting his hand with a little switch from a willow tree every time he tried to play with the dirty dishes while I was loading the dishwasher. I did this for a couple of months and he never did learn, he was just like Miss M: as soon as I'd give him an opening, he'd be into the dishes again. The little swats were unpleasant to him, but they didn't really deter him. He finally just grew out of it and got interested in other toys. And that seems to be happening with Miss M, too. She responds better now when we tell her to move away from something (not always, but at least she seems to understand now that we aren't playing a fun game!) and she's finding more interesting things to do.

So, sadly, she's getting bigger, growing up, although some of the more difficult challenges are getting easier. Sometimes I tell her, 'You're getting so big!" and she'll invariably tell me, "I not big, I little." :)